After beginning in Vienna, the Danube riverbank forests extend to the gates of Bratislava, linking the two capitals like a green ribbon, forming a unique wildlife habitat in the heart of Europe. A few years ago a 36-kilometer section was turned into a national park that now protects the last undeveloped stretch of the Danube and also the last riparian zone of its size in Central Europe. In the forests along the Danube the water’s power can once again influence plant and animal habitats. Everything here is in motion and subject to constant change. Growth and destruction, birth and death are integral to this landscape. And so an outstanding variety of habitats and species has been created: white-tailed eagles breed in the woods, mud minnows and pond turtles populate the old arms of the river, beavers build their dams on the banks. The Danube National Park: a hidden wilderness full of beauty and drama, and a refuge for an astounding variety of flora and fauna.